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Feeling connected lately?

Published: Saturday, January 26, 2013 at 9:41 p.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, January 26, 2013 at 9:41 p.m.

Over the past week or so, four friends and acquaintances have told me they have given up Facebook.

One was so inspired after I asked him why that he emailed me a manifesto that lists about half a dozen reasons, including privacy concerns, “politics and stupid people” and feeling “too connected” to “friends” he cares little about and who probably feel the same about him.

“It is a time-killer,” he wrote. “It simply felt like FB was taking more from me than it was giving.”

Feelings were similar among the other friends who told me they are pulling the plug.

I've felt some of the same frustrations, but Facebook still gives me more than it takes. I like using it to keep in touch with friends and family across the country. However hard to believe, I actually like cute cat pictures and videos — in moderation — and I credit Facebook, in part, with connecting members of my high-school rock band and helping us reunite for the first time in three decades.

I enjoy using Facebook to chat with The Courier and Daily Comet's readers, too. Combined, our Facebook pages — facebook.com/houmatoday and facebook.com/dailycomet — have more than 17,000 fans.

Some occasionally ask why one news story or another was or wasn't posted to our Facebook pages. Our mission is not to regurgitate everything we already offer on our websites onto Facebook. That would be redundant. At houmatoday.com and dailycomet.com, you'll find every story, photo and video we have to offer.

Sure, we post links to some of that content on our Facebook pages, along with anything else that catches our interest or that we think will interest you. Some things we post just for fun. We usually do so as a way of starting conversation — an exchange of thoughts and ideas is what social networking is really all about. You never know what people will be talking about on our Facebook pages, and that serendipity is one of the things that makes them fun and interesting places to visit. Join us there and see for yourself.

As for my personal Facebook page, you'll rarely find me there. I usually check it for a few minutes once or twice a day, but I can't fathom being joined at the hip to it like some of my friends.

When it comes to social networking, I follow the adage “everything in moderation, nothing to excess.”

Maybe that's why I still like it. Maybe I'm just lucky enough not to have the addictive or obsessive personality that might chain me to Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare or text messaging like some people I see walking around like zombies, necks bent and eyes fixed to their smartphone screens. Or maybe I'm just old-school enough to enjoy time together with relatives and real friends more than sitting alone in a darkened room with my Facebook friends.

For me, social networking works best when it connects people in reality rather than virtually. It's easy to fall for the illusion of being connected with 500 or 600 Facebook “friends” streaming a constant barrage of small talk across a screen. And just amassing that many Facebook friends or more stokes a lot of egos.

But I wonder sometimes whether Facebook and the like actually do more to isolate than connect people to anything — or anyone — meaningful. Like most things in life, it depends how we use it — or abuse it.

Courier and Daily Comet Executive Editor Keith Magill can be reached at 857-2201 or keith.magill@houmatoday.com.

<p>Over the past week or so, four friends and acquaintances have told me they have given up Facebook.</p><p>One was so inspired after I asked him why that he emailed me a manifesto that lists about half a dozen reasons, including privacy concerns, “politics and stupid people” and feeling “too connected” to “friends” he cares little about and who probably feel the same about him. </p><p>“It is a time-killer,” he wrote. “It simply felt like FB was taking more from me than it was giving.”</p><p>Feelings were similar among the other friends who told me they are pulling the plug.</p><p>I've felt some of the same frustrations, but Facebook still gives me more than it takes. I like using it to keep in touch with friends and family across the country. However hard to believe, I actually like cute cat pictures and videos — in moderation — and I credit Facebook, in part, with connecting members of my high-school rock band and helping us reunite for the first time in three decades.</p><p>I enjoy using Facebook to chat with The Courier and Daily Comet's readers, too. Combined, our Facebook pages — facebook.com/houmatoday and facebook.com/dailycomet — have more than 17,000 fans.</p><p>Some occasionally ask why one news story or another was or wasn't posted to our Facebook pages. Our mission is not to regurgitate everything we already offer on our websites onto Facebook. That would be redundant. At houmatoday.com and dailycomet.com, you'll find every story, photo and video we have to offer.</p><p>Sure, we post links to some of that content on our Facebook pages, along with anything else that catches our interest or that we think will interest you. Some things we post just for fun. We usually do so as a way of starting conversation — an exchange of thoughts and ideas is what social networking is really all about. You never know what people will be talking about on our Facebook pages, and that serendipity is one of the things that makes them fun and interesting places to visit. Join us there and see for yourself.</p><p>As for my personal Facebook page, you'll rarely find me there. I usually check it for a few minutes once or twice a day, but I can't fathom being joined at the hip to it like some of my friends.</p><p>When it comes to social networking, I follow the adage “everything in moderation, nothing to excess.”</p><p>Maybe that's why I still like it. Maybe I'm just lucky enough not to have the addictive or obsessive personality that might chain me to Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare or text messaging like some people I see walking around like zombies, necks bent and eyes fixed to their smartphone screens. Or maybe I'm just old-school enough to enjoy time together with relatives and real friends more than sitting alone in a darkened room with my Facebook friends.</p><p>For me, social networking works best when it connects people in reality rather than virtually. It's easy to fall for the illusion of being connected with 500 or 600 Facebook “friends” streaming a constant barrage of small talk across a screen. And just amassing that many Facebook friends or more stokes a lot of egos.</p><p>But I wonder sometimes whether Facebook and the like actually do more to isolate than connect people to anything — or anyone — meaningful. Like most things in life, it depends how we use it — or abuse it.</p><p>Courier and Daily Comet Executive Editor Keith Magill can be reached at 857-2201 or keith.magill@houmatoday.com.</p>